I still can’t understand the idea that you would be willing to use Robertson in the ninth, but wouldn’t have him start the inning. 

I’m going to guess that Girardi was hoping he could get through with Rapada and give Robertson at least a day off, considering the team is in the middle of a two week stretch without a day off.  This is a really bad way to manage a single game in which you have just a 2-run lead. As you said, if he’s available, he should start the inning.

I know I said this in the game thread but did anyone flash back to the ending of the Brent Lillibridge game the way this one ended? I think I felt the exact same way.

Also, I notice that Cano’s season line is creeping up to MVP territory. What are the current WAR rankings?

So Cano is #3 in WAR according to BBREF, but there’s no fucking way in hell WAR has Lawrie right. To consider a third baseman the most valuable player in the league pretty much all because of defense is bizarre. Cano is #1 in oWAR.

I assume oWAR does not have anything to do with average with RISP?

I think Girardi planned on bringing in Robertson after Rapada no matter what.

that was a shitshow of an inning from not going to Robertson to start the inning, to Rapada’s Keystone Kops routine, to Robertson missing way up on that HR. Blargh, we need a win so I can forget about that suckerpunch of a loss.

From Girardi’s post-game, the issue is that Robertson is not quite all the way back, as evidenced by the subpar-for-him 90 MPH pitch on the home run.  So Joe was trying to minimize the batters Robertson would face, or perhaps avoid using him at all.  And it likely would have worked out if not for the error by Rapada.  Aside from the bad outcomes, not sure why this is such horrible decision-making.

It sucked the way they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, but I don’t have a big problem with trying to steal the win without using Robertson (especially since he’s the one who gave up the gopher-ball).  Anyway, it was the throwing error that really cost them here, not faulty BP usage.

From Girardi’s post-game, the issue is that Robertson is not quite all the way back, as evidenced by the subpar-for-him 90 MPH pitch on the home run.  So Joe was trying to minimize the batters Robertson would face, or perhaps avoid using him at all.  And it likely would have worked out if not for the error by Rapada.  Aside from the bad outcomes, not sure why this is such horrible decision-making.

Totally agree. You’ve got basically a ROOGY for Rios, then a LOOGY for AJ, and finally a not-quite-all-the-way-back Robertson for the final out if things go according to plan. That a physical error by Rapada screwed things up shouldn’t bring about such hand wringing.